Misinterpretation
by elainefelicity
Summary: This is a story about how certain events are not always as they seem. I will write a better summary because I don't want to give away the crutial part of chapter one. Hope you understand. Pls Review. Final chapter is now up. Thanks for reading. X
1. Chapter 1

Kate stepped out of her apartment building and it felt like she was the only one up at five thirty in the morning. Some coffee would kick start the day, plus the cute waiter at her favourite coffee shop always flirted with her every morning. What a plesant way to start the day. She knew her job was more important than her love life but she was still human and longed for him to ask her out. Today was her lucky morning, she parked the car around the back in the parking lot and slowly strolled around the front. It was six o' clock when she walked in the door and the warmth hit her. Her stomach did a somersault when the cute waiter smiled at her as she sat down, asking her out on a date was next on his list.

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"You're early, Dinozzo" Said Gibbs as he watched Tony enter the bull pen.

"Yeah, you don't start for another hour yet" Chimed in McGee.

"Neither do you!" He said sitting dow at his desk.

Gibbs desk telephone rang.

"Get your gear we're starting early" Said Gibbs already getting up and walking towards the elevator.

"Where to, boss?" Said McGee.

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The crime scene appeared to be nothing more than a brick building at the edge of an entirely empty field in the middle of nowhere. Gibbs indicated to where he had been told the body was and headed toward it.

"You two split up and start searching the area for a murder weapon" He said.

It belonged to a dead naval officer who had an obvious head injury, Gibbs didn't need Ducky to figure that one out, but routine dictated the rules and Gibbs called him anyway.

"Hey boss it's seven am, I'll call Kate and tell her to head down here" Said Tony.

"Didn't you already call her, where the hell is she?" Barked Gibbs

"I got her voicemail" replied Tony.

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The reality of Kate's bad timekeeping was her cute waiter, she had chatted to him too long. He watched her talk to her collegue on the phone and saw the panic on her face when she realised that time had ran away with her. He watched the panic turn to annoyance, maybe more at a bad joke the person she was talking to had made, she was so beautiful.

"When I get there, Tony, I swear I'll kill you."

Then she left.

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Tony crouched down in the grass searching for what ever instrument had been used to kill their navy captain when he heard Kate's car coming down the road. When it came into view she turned and headed onto the field. Tony noticed Kate's speed, and suddenly realised she was coming in his direction. Gibbs smiled to himself and laughed inwardly at Kate's attempt to scare Tony out of his wits. Tony would never admit that he was a little scared but knew she would stop before she reached him. Only this wasn't a joke. McGee felt sick as Kate's car hit Tony at about 70mph throwing him several metres and proceeded to smash into the small brick building with a sickening crunch of bending metal


	2. Chapter 2

McGee sat with Kate in the back of the ambulance. His opinion toward her uncertain, so many questions circled his mind as to why she did what she did. Kate was unconscious, had been since the car had hit the building. She was oblivious to all that was around her. Kate felt no pain, but on the other hand she was unable to tell her part of the story therefore allowing her collegues to form their own theories about what had happened, and about her.

"This doesn't seem real" He uttered under his breath.

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"How's he doing Ducky?" Asked Gibbs while they waited for the second ambulance to arrive.

"He'd have been better if someone hadn't run him over"

"That didn't answer my question, Duck!" Said Gibbs with a raised voice.

Gibbs crouched down at Tony's side. He briefly opened his eyes and looked directly up at Gibbs.

"Tell me where it hurts most Tony, its important" Asked Gibbs taking full advantage of the couple of seconds he was conscious.

"My legs...I can't move them"

Gibbs rolled up his jacket and placed it under Tony's head.

"Careful Jethro, he may have a neck injury" Said Ducky.

"Damn you Kate, what the hell posessed you to do this?" Gibbs asked.

It was only then that the acrid smoke smell reached them. The car was nearly engulfed in flames, the heat of the damaged engine had ignited the fuel feeding it.

"Jethro, if that hits the fuel tank..."

"Then we are mega screwed. We need to get some distance"

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The paramedic looked at his collegue and laughed.

"Some of the things we see in this job never stop surprising me" He said.

"Like what?" His partner said puzzled.

"Well, how unlucky have you got to be to get hit by a car in the middle of a field?" He continued to laugh.

"Did you're mother never tell you not to laugh at another's misfortune?" Said the older man.

The ambulance was quarter of a mile out and still heard the crack of the car explosion from there.

"What the hell?" They said together.

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The paramedics reached the field and saw that there was only debris where the car used to be, they felt a sick feeling to pits of their stomachs.

"I think we're too late" He said, and then noticed Ducky's flailing arms from the long yellow grass, and rushed over.

"I didn't expect it to be this bad" Said the youngest.

"That's why you're still learning, kid" Said his superior.

"Whats the story?" Asked the young paramedic.

Jethro opened his mouth and took a breath to give a potted history of what had happened, but found himself cut off by Ducky.

"The 'story', young sir, is that he's got open fractures of both legs and is in shock due to heavy internal bleeding" The doctor had spoken.

Without chatter and unnecessary niceties they got Dinozzo quickly able to be moved and into the ambulance in record time.

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McGee was waiting out by the ambulance bay for Gibbs to arrive. He had already be physically sick after replaying the nightmare. It stuck in his head like a song he couldn't stop singing. He watched Gibbs' face as he stepped out of the ambulance, it spoke a thousand words, that Tony's fate was no longer something he could control, but it was in the hands of complete strangers.

"How's Kate doing?" Was the first thing his boss asked him.

"They said she's stable but there appears to be a head injury, a bad one, she's in a room in the ICU" McGee replied "Is Tony going to be OK".

"He's losing too much blood too fast. His heart stopped on the way here, they had to restart it." Said Ducky.

McGee didn't answer simply because there was nothing t say.

"Kate had better wake up soon, she's got some explaining to do" Said Gibbs and proceeded to stalk inside the hospital building.

"Jethro, please don't judge the girl before you know the whole story" Warned the wise words of Ducky.

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The young paramedic stepped back inside the ambulance he'd been driving. He'd stood within earshot to hear the conversation Gibbs had just had with McGee and Ducky. He wiped the symapthetic, professional paramedics look off of his face and instead it transformed into a grin from ear to ear. Kate's demise was what he had intended, and he knew he wanted revenge on Dinozzo too eventually, but had always thought that would have to be a whole separate mission. For it to have played out like this was something he could only have dreamed of. He had killed two birds with one stone. To say mission acomplished' would be an understatement.


	3. Chapter 3

"Call this number when you reach the hospital, I'll meet you there and can tell you more in person" Gibbs said into the telephone reciever. All I'll say on the phone is that they operated and managed to stop the bleeding but you still need to get here, Mr Dinozzo"

Phoning the parents was not an experience Gibbs was looking forward to especially not Tony's father given the fact he had no idea how he'd react. Ducky watched as Gibbs ended the call.

"You look surprised Jethro."

"That was John Dinozzo, he wants to get here as soon as possible, to be honest I didn't even expect him to care"

"Jethro, give the man some credit, it's his son you were talking about and he's only human" Said Ducky.

"Judging by what I have heard Tony say and the way our last phone call went a year ago, John Dinozzo is not normally the caring concerned father."

"These are hardly normal circumstances" Replied Ducky.

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Christian, Kate's cute coffee shop waiter remained at his table at the restaurant for an hour after the time they said they'd meet. Bitterly disappointed he stood up and exited the restaurant. Maybe he would see her at work tomorrow.

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Abby wandered in Kate's room and savoured the ten minutes her and Ducky were given to see her.

"When will she wake up Ducky?"

"Well" He said "Caitlin is in a drug induced coma my dear, they'll do regular scans and they see fit they'll start bringing her round" He replied.

"Why did she do it?" She asked, as she did she let go of Kate's hand.

Ducky put his arm around Abby.

"I don't know"

The hard faced ICU nurse, gave them a stony glare and that was their cue to leave.

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"It's been a long day people, I want you all to go home, get some sleep, we have an investigation to start tomorrow" Said Gibbs.

"But Gibbs..." Abby began to protest. "You just said their parents are out of state and they're not going to get here till at least tomorrow night."

"That's why there's friends on their way to stay the night with them both"

She put her arms around Gibbs.

"You're a good boss, Gibbs" She Said

"Come on Abbs, I'll drive you home" Said McGee, and with that they headed out of the hospital, leaving Gibbs alone in the corridor.

"Boss, how do you think Tony will take his father being here?" Asked McGee.

"Honestly McGee, I don't know, but his father should be here."

"I just hope he doesn't turn up and make matters worse" Said McGee.

Gibbs sat down as he watched the others leave. He would wait for Kate and Tony's friends to arrive, then leave. His mind asked so many queastions. Why did Kate do what she did? Was Tony's father going to cause problems? Should he go in and see Tony and Kate? He couldn't face seing them, he had already formed his own interpretation of what had happened and knew if he saw either of them his emotions would cloud his judgement.

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Bitter anger filled the man responsible for almost killing Kate and Tony, he watched from his car as Christian Turner walked up the street to his apartment block.

"What's wrong big brother did she stand you up?" He muttered to himself as he sat in the dark car watching his big brother. If she rejected me and I can't be with her neither can you, Christian" He spoke with every fibre of his being. "Every underdog has his day"


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks for all your support, this story has turned out even better than I could have possibly imagined. Figured the storyline needed moving along a bit more so this is quite an intense chapter, and introducing a subplot involving John Dinozzo.- Took ages before I was completely satisfied with Chapter 4, hope you like it as much as I do now. Enjoy and please keep reviewing.

Gibbs flashed his badge at Christian Turner, Christian noted the letters on the photograph ID card. NCIS. Kate.

"Hey, I was supposed to have a date with one of your people..." Said Christian opening the conversation on a light note.

"Let me guess, she stood you up?" Said McGee.

"How do you know that, am I being followed?" enquired Christian.

"Don't be so paranoid we're not the FBI" Said Gibbs.

"The reason she stood you up is that she is laying in a hospital bed right now after being in an accident right after she left this shop?" Said McGee

"Oh my God, is she OK? I had no idea" Said Christian "Wait, you think I'm responsible don't you?" Said Christian

"Put this way Mr.Turner I have been told that Kate's brakes were cut, the last time she was able to use her brakes was at this place, something happened here"

"I asked her on a date, I don't want to kill her!" Said Christian now attracting the attention of early bird customers' odd looks. "Lets not do this here" Gibbs and McGee followed him into the back room. His heart pounded, he liked Kate a lot. All he wanted to do was wine and dine her.

"Where's the parking lot, in the back, right?" Said McGee, Christian nodded affirmativly.

"You got witnesses to say you were working the tables the whole time Kate was here?" Said Gibbs.

"My boss, she was here too" Said Christian, now calming slightly.

"Parking lot CCTV in working order?" Said McGee. Christian nodded again.

"We'll need to see it Mr Turner" Said Gibbs.

Truth be told Gibbs famous gut instinct already told him Christian Turner was not their man.

---------------------------------------------

Kate could hear the vague hazy voice of her parents surrounding her but none of them registered in her mind. Kate was still in a coma, all be it a light one. Dreams ran through her head as the accident came back to her. Had she hit something before she crashed? She couldn't have it must have been her imagination...at least that was what her unconscious mind told her.

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On his way to the hospital Christian walked through the city park on a short cut. On such a miserable day the park was deserted and he walked up the tree lined path. holding Kate's flowers in one hand and a card in the other. A lone jogger came from behind, and nodded hello. Christian looked and nodded a polite hello. Then realised who he'd just nodded at. The jogger, slowed and turned his head and threw Christian a leering smile that made chills run up his spine. As he stopped in his tracks James Turner strode toward him.

"What's the matter Christian?" Asked James "You look like you just saw a ghost"

Christian grabbed his brother by the collar of his sweater pushing him up against a tree.

"I made it abundantly clear I never wanted to see your face ever again. I hate you James."

"I'm a paramedic now, Christian"

"You're an ex-con. They'd never let a deranged drug addict like you be in charged of people's lives"

"Lets just say a place for a job as a trainee paramedic needed filling due to tragic circumstances" Christian let his brother's neck go.

"You killed some one?"

"And took his identity, yes" James said "Those flowers for Kate?"

"How do you know her?" But as soon as Christian asked the question he knew the answer.

"She also met with some tragic circumstances, but you're not going to be with her, Christian, not if I can't be with her."

James produced a knife and took his older brother by surprise by plunging it into him sending him to the floor.

"Haven't we been here before?" Said James as Christian lay on the ground in his own blood and watched as little brother smashed all the flowers into the ground under foot and ripped the card. James walked away, leaving Christian to battle to stay alive long enough to tell agent Gibbs who had just stabbed him and injured two of his agents. He semi got to his feet and staggered into a more public area and hoped to be found.

"James I hate you!" He said growing weaker.

Christian saw an elderly man rush towards him, maybe he would survive this, he had to.

"I survived the last time you stabbed me, James I can do it again."

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As Christian fought with all he had to stay alive, Tony found himself in semi-consciousness before he woke completely. Now as consciousness crept even futher in another question entered his mind. Whose hand was that holding his? Even in a morphine induced haze Tony knew Gibbs wasn't the hand-holding type. He opened his eyes and looked into the eyes that were so uncanily like his own.

"Are you OK, Dad" He said in a weaker voice than the one he was used to hearing himself speak in, which worried him a little, he had no idea how badly he'd been hurt. Surprising for Tony his dad's grip tightened on his.

"I'm a little tired, but I'm fine. Then again I wasn't hit by a car two days ago was I? It's good to see you awake."

"I've been out for two days?"

John nodded.

"How's Kate?" He asked, surprised by the amount of time that had passed.

"To be honest, son, it's you I'm worried about, not the woman who hit you"

"Why are...you...here?" Said Tony with the last amount of strength he could summon, even considering the circumstances something didn't feel right.

"You're not looking so good, you feeling ok, Son?" Asked John as Tony's condition visibly had deteriorated in the space of time they had been talking, Tony closed his eyes. "Anthony, wake up...Nurse!" He yelled.

The nurse rushed in followed by a doctor. The nurse felt his pulse.

"No pulse" She said.

"Must be another slow bleed inside we missed. Damn it" Said the Doctor, more to himself than anyone else "We need to get him back to surgery now, and call the blood-bank"


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi, I'm sorry it's been such a while I hope you'll still read and review. Here's chapter 5 the muses just started to sing again! Enjoy**.

"You're a lucky man, Mr Turner" Said McGee as he went into Christian's room.

"I guess I am, James' knife didn't hit anything major this time" Replied Christian.

McGee sat down next to his bed.

"This time?"

"You need to understand something first, Agent McGee, I hate my brother" He began "He's always been volatile but one day he found out that I had been out with an ex of his, so he stabbed me with a double bladed kitchen knife, apparently the blood loss was massive, I was in a coma for six weeks"

"Wow, so what motivated him this time?"

"I wanted to see Kate, give her some flowers, you know?" He said "I was walking through the park and he turned up like a recurring nightmare and started going on about Kate, and if he couldn't have her no one could"

McGee's heart leaped in his chest.

"Mr Turner, are you suggesting what I think you are suggesting?" He asked.

"That James fixated on Kate and tried to kill her? Yes, I am"

McGee got up, he had to find Gibbs pronto.

"Mr Turner?" He said as he headed toward the door "Thank you, you're a good person."

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The questions that John Dinozzo should have asked himself a long time ago buzzed around in his head now, it felt like a never ending stream of self loathing criticism, he could always be relied on to make any situation about himself he thought. Now that he faced losing his son forever was the time he realised his failings as a dad.

"John?" Said Gibbs behind him "What happened?"

"I don't know, one minute he's talking to me, next his heart stops and they take him away again"

"I think we're about to find out" Said Gibbs as a doctor came through a set of double doors.

"We've got a bit of a situation here I'm afraid" He said.

"You don't need a degree in medicine to figure out that one, doctor" Said Gibbs.

The doctor glared at Gibbs and turned his gaze to John.

"We found a slow bleed, it _can_ be repaired but the blood bank is low on supplies of your son's type" He said "We need blood to operate, it's just too risky if we don't get it"

"So now what?" Said John

"The best option is if someone locally is able to donate, are you a match for Tony?" He asked.

"I'm A-positive, yes." He declared.

"Would you be willing to donate?" Asked the doctor.

"Of course" He looked at Gibbs.

"Follow me please" Said the doctor and ushered him through the double doors.

John had a look of complete satisfaction and relief on his face, he could finally make a difference to Tony's life, he could save it.

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"Boss, I think I got a lead" Said McGee, when he found Gibbs by the coffee machine.

"Then spit it out, McGee" He said

"I just spoke to Christian Turner, it was his brother who stabbed him"

"How is that a lead to this case, McGee?" Said Gibbs impatiently

"I haven't finished" He said "Christian got stabbed on his way to see Kate, his brother James seems to have fixated on her, he was jelous so he stabbed Christian"

"That's good work McGee" He said smiling "All we have to do is find James Turner, any ideas?"  
"Is Tony going to be okay, Boss?" Asked McGee.

"Thanks to his father, he'll probably make it"

"His father?" Said McGee "I thought Tony had a bad relationship with him"

"I know, Tim, don't even ask" Replied Gibbs.

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"Hey kiddo" Smiled John "Welcome back to the land of the living"

"Dad" He said weakly "What happened"

"The found another bleed and had to repair it" 

"You're still here, why?" He asked.

John thought of telling him that he'd donated blood but decided against it, he didn't want to sound like he was bragging.

"I'm you're dad, of course I'm still here, you had a nasty accident, unless you'd forgetten?."

"Oh right, I wish I'd have known"

"Known what?" John asked

"Thatwhen I wanted you to truly care and be my father all I had to do was go and get hit by a car"

John was speechless.

"I deserved that, Anthony, I was never there for you when you were a kid"

"Dad, I'm really tired" He said, which was true.

John didn't say anything, he sat back in the chair and closed his eyes himself.

"Dad?" He said "One more thing"

"What's that?" Replied John

"Thanks, for being here, to tell the truth if you weren't, I'd secretly be wanting you here"

John reached out and touched his hand, he stayed there the rest of the night.

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Kates mother and father sat in her room each side of her bed. Her mother sat stroking her bandaged forehead, while her father dozed in the chair. He was abruptly brought back to the land of the awake by his wife's excited voice.

"Peter, I think she's waking up!"

He rubbed his eyes and grabbed Kate's hand.

"We're here now, it's okay, my girl" He reassured her.

Kate opened her eyes and found out that they were actually real and not a figment of her dream, then a detail came back to her, the thud on the front of the car before it had crashed into the wall. She cried out and her mother came closer.

"You've been in an accident, sweetie, but all that matters is that you're alright"

"Mom, I think I hit someone, I ran a person over"

Peter and Fran Todd exchanged looks, they now had the unenviable task of telling her that it was her partner she'd almost killed.

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Kate lay in her room alone later that evening, thoughts ran through her head about Tony, he was one of the most annoying people she'd ever met, but he didn't deserve this, and why hadn't Gibbs spoken to her yet, even Abby and Ducky had been to see her? She looked at the doctor coming in he was wearing ordinary clothes covered by a white coat.

"We're transferring you from ICU to high dependancy, Kate"

"Now?" She asked "Can I see some ID, someone did try and kill me the other day" She asked not able to see his hospital identification badge.

He sighed and reached under his white coat and pulled out a pistol with a silencer on it.

"Your the one who tried to kill me"

"I always loved you, then you went and cheated on me twice. Once with that partner of yours and with my own brother! If you scream I will shoot you here and now!" He said under his breath

He took the pillows away and lay her flat on her back.

"What are you doing?" She said, she was frustrated, too weak to fight back.

"Your going to play dead, Kate"

He took out a roll of tape from his pocket.

"What's that for" She asked getting worried.

"I didn't want to ruin your beauty with a gag, but desperate times, you know?"

He sealed her mouth with a piece of the tape and covered her completely with a sheet, she was helpless. To the unknowing observer it just looked like another victim on their way to the hospital mortuary. She remained as still as humanly possible, where the hell was he taking her?


	6. Chapter 6

Unaware of where she was and unable to speak or scream out Kate could feel that she had stopped moving, she could no longer hear James' footsteps but could sense his presence still there. He pulled the sheet away that was covering her and gently peeled the tape away from her mouth.

"Shh my love, I'm sorry I had to do that"

He gazed down at her for a moment with a look in his eyes, that made her see the love he felt for her. However the moment did not last and a shudder travelled down her spine when she looked back at him. She looked around her and saw that she was in a derelict disused part of the hospital.

"Apology not accepted" She tried to sit up but with medications still in her system she still felt too weak to fight him. He pushed her back down and the loving look had disappeared and was replaced by a deranged one.

"They will find me, Gibbs and the others will find me!" She said.

"Gibbs maybe, I wouldn't put much faith in 'Ducky'" He said mockingly "Or the one that looks like he just graduated high school"

Kate left the anger brew inside her.

"And then there's coffee shop boy and that partner of yours!"

Kate didn't want to give him fuel by asking more questions but the anguish and wondering got the better of her.

"What have you done with them?"

"Well, I admit I did have to take my brother out, I stabbed him when he was on his way to bring you flowers, poetic don't you think?"

She knew James had a familiar look about him but until now she couldn't quite work it out.

"I'm surprised you don't remember what happened to dear Agent DiNozzo"

As soon as he said it she felt an awful sinking feeling inside her and knew instantly that she hadn't dreamed hitting her friend before she had crashed. The anger exploded out of her just as she had finished unscrewing a metal piece from the side of the bed she was on.

"Gibbs, we've got a problem" Said McGee emerging in front of Gibbs desk "The hospital staff called and reported Kate is missing"

Gibbs stood up instantly and took the gun from his drawer. McGee soon followed suit.

"Missing, how McGee?"

"Like she'd been moved to a different room but nothing was authorized"

He jogged up to Gibbs side as he strode towards the elevator.

"We've never had a situation this bad before, boss"

Gibbs looked at the young agent and decided his usual tough response would not suffice. He simply said.

"We'll find her, Tim"

She took the piece of metal and swung her hand as hard as she could, letting all the anger and hatred towards the man before her give her a strength that defied that of a woman who had been injured in a violent car accident.

He staggered backwards and hit the back wall hard; James clutched at the now bleeding wound on his forehead and was momentarily incapacitated by the blinding pain. Kate had to think fast when he didn't fall unconscious, she suddenly remembered he had previously threatened her with a gun. It seemed that James had remembered the same thing.

"I don't want to shoot you, Kate, I love you" He yelled "Stay with me, you hurt me bad"

Kate wanted to yell something abusive back at him as she ran but refrained from doing so as she combined her remaining physical strength and her mental grit and determination.

Gibbs used his own special brand of persuasion by pinning a doctor to the wall and demanding to know what James Turner could have done with Kate.

"This is assault" Yelled the doctor, his anger borne out of surprise and loss of dignity.

"Where could he have taken her!?"

"I don't know...maybe...bottom level just beyond the morgue we don't use that part of the hospital anymore" He said "Now take your hands off me!"

Kate could hear James footsteps coming closer to her as she hid round the corner of a doorway, she could not keep on going, adrenaline was no longer enough to sustain her. They were in a creepy part of the hospital, it was old and there were no artificial light.

"I found you" He said, a slightly amused tone in his voice.

"You enjoyed this didn't you" She said "You enjoyed seing me running scared"

She could no longer read the look in his eyes it was too erratic and no longer portrayed his state of mind. He was taking slow steps toward her.

"You enjoy over-powering women?"

"Not just women" He said "I don't discriminate"

"You're sick" She said

"I know, no point denying it" He replied "I enjoyed seeing my perfect brother in a coma for six weeks, knowing I'd put him there"

"A coma?" She asked.

Keeping him talking seemed to work to her advantage but she wasn't sure if she was just prolonging the inevitable.

"He went into a coma after the first time I drove a kitchen knife into his gut. Worst day of my life when he woke up" He rambled on "When mom and dad fussed around him for weeks, I told him if he ever told them who stabbed him I'd finish the job then and there."

Kate got a glimpse of the innocent looking coffee shop worker in her mind's eye. He was a world away from the deranged individual in front of her.

"Why"

"Christian was perfect, no one saw him as the Turner's creepy son, none of the teachers at high school failed him and possibly worst of all he stole you"

He had advanced closer to her and put his hands to her neck.

"Why not just shoot me?" She asked

Kate was fixated on what James' next move was and he suddenly took her rhetorical question and answered it very literally by pulling out the gun from inside his

jacket.

A shot rang out but it was James who fell to the floor. Gibbs and McGee were standing at the entrance of the room. Kate collapsed to the floor with exhaustion.

"He was going to kill me; you just saved my life, Gibbs!"

Gibbs grabbed her under the arms and stood her up.

"It wasn't me who shot him" He replied, turning his attention to Tim.

McGee crouched over James Turner's body and applied pressure to the gunshot wound he'd just inflicted.

"Nice job McGee" Said Gibbs.

James looked up at McGee.

"Finish me off, just kill me" He said

" You can't get out of it that easily" Answered McGee.


	7. Chapter 7

John walked into the apartment building that Tony lived in it and looked at with his usual scrutinizing eye; it just about passed his approval however not exactly somewhere he would live himself. He found the right apartment and put the key in the door. When he went in he went to the bedroom and lay down on the bed. The last few days had the old man worn out, although it was not completely from being awake for almost three days straight, it partly was from the experiences of trying to building bridges that had collapsed long ago. John stood up aware that if he stayed there any longer he'd fall asleep. He went over to chest of drawers and pulled out some clothes to take to the hospital, he got to the sock drawer and opened it. He stood staring for a moment at what was in there. John took the gun out of the drawer and held it in his hands.

"Impressive" He said aloud to himself.

The pistol in the sock drawer may have been an inanimate object but it made John realise that the son he had lost touch with was not someone he knew anymore.

* * *

Tim locked his weapon in his desk drawer and sat down alone to finish the report and paper work that concluded the investigation.

"You did good today, McGee"

"Thanks, boss" He replied

He hadn't noticed Gibbs enter the room.

"I should have given him a warning first" He said.

"McGee, he would have shot her regardless, you saved Kate's life today"

"How is she anyway?"

"She's resting"

"And Tony?" Asked McGee

Gibbs sighed.

"That's another issue" He said "Have that report on my desk by the morning"

He disappeared out of the room as swiftly as he'd come in.

* * *

"Good Morning" Said Kate the following morning.

Christian looked up and saw her come into his room.

"You're feeling better then?" He said

"They discharged me this morning" She replied.

"I wish I were getting out today" He said "Wednesday at the earliest"

"It's only two days, relax" She smiled.

"You seem really cheerful considering my brother almost killed you last night"

She grinned

"In my job you learn to live with it"

An awkward silence ensued for a few moments until Christian filled it.

"So, how do you feel about going on a date with me?" He asked cautiously.

"I remember saying yes the other day, nothing has changed since then"

"But what about James?"

"If it's alright with you, I'd like to try and forget about James" She laughed

He sighed.

"That's a good idea" He replied "I feel like we've been through so much together but we've only ever

had two conversations

"He'll be going to jail for a very long time when he recovers from his gunshot wounds" She informed him.

"Things can only get better, right?" She replied.

The pressure lifted from him and became the sweet coffee shop guy once again.

* * *

"I brought you some things, clean clothes and stuff" Said John coming into the room.

"Thanks" Tony replied, his voice was void of all feeling.

"We need to talk, boy" Said John.

"Boy?" Said Tony "I'm not a teenager anymore, dad"

"Oh, believe me I know that"

"What's that suppose to mean?" Said Tony

"I found the handgun in your drawer" He replied, not looking his son in the eye.

"And?" Said Tony.

"Have you ever used it?" He asked.

"Of course" Said Tony "It's part of the job and for my own protection"

John nodded.

"I'm surprised you've got an issue with this, you know that I'm a federal agent"

John looked him in the eye.

"I know what you do for a living Tony, when I saw that gun..."

"What's your point, I've shot people, killed a few but only because they were either about to kill me or my colleagues" Said Tony "It's a dangerous job, if you've got a problem with that you're a little late coming in here and telling me now, I'm a grown adult"

"I last remember you as irresponsible and going against everything I said, you drove me crazy, but now you've turned yourself into this person I never thought I'd see, I imagined you ending up..."

"In the gutter" Answered Tony "I remember you telling me"

"I don't know you as well as I thought I did, but you've become someone I'm proud of, I haven't got a problem with the job you do or how you protect yourself when you do it, just don't get yourself killed"

"I didn't expect that from you, I thought you were just here out of duty, that you'd disappear in to the sunset and I wouldn't see you until the next time one of us nearly ends up dead"

"I want to be part of your life again"

"Are you sure about that?" He grinned "I'm told I can be pretty damn annoying"

"I guess not everything has changed about you, I sure I'll cope with it" He smiled "Get some rest"

The events of the past few days had had a devastating effect on all involved but a phoenix that had arisen out of the ashes of it all had in fact been the mutual respect and rediscovered compassion between a father and his son.

* * *

8 Months later

"I feel like a glorified coffee boy, I'm a special agent just like you Kate, Gibbs never makes _you_ get him coffee"

Kate smiled across from her desk as he put Gibbs' coffee on his desk.

"That's because I'm senior field agent, Tim, perks of the job" She said.

"Actually, it's my job Kate; did you keep it warm for me?" Said Tony.

They both looked at him with surprise visible on their faces.

"I'm back" He said.

"Finally" Said Kate "It's been too long"

Tony waited for a sarcastic comment but it never came.

"Thanks, Kate" He said

"I'm glad you're alright"

"Right back at you" He replied "Does that mean you won't hit me with your car again"

She glared at him for making light of that horrifying day but in truth she knew it was his way of telling her that he no longer held her responsible for what happened, it had taken a long time for their friendship to return to being as close as it was, even though they both knew there was no way the accident had been her fault she knew as well as he did that she had ultimately been the driver of the car that had him and cause such horrific injuries for both of them, and regardless of blame that was hard for them both to get past.

"You need a sense of humour Kate" He grinned mischievously.

She frowned and looked like someone who was hurt but trying to hide it; the grin disappeared from his face. He came close to her.

"We need to put it behind us, Kate"

"I agree" She said and looked him in the eyes meaningfully.

"Hey Kate, how's Christian?" Said McGee, breaking their moment.

She gave him a gushing smile.

"He's wonderful" She replied.

Gibbs strode into the bullpen and opened his drawer to get his weapon; he threw a bunch of keys at Tony.

"DiNozzo, gas the truck"

"You got it, boss" He said "I've been waiting so long to hear that!"

"I'm sure the feeling will pass" Said McGee


End file.
